Mop wringer



Aug. 7, 1928.

5. C. l AWLOR MOP WRINGER 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed March 10, 1924 Aug. 7, 1928.

S. C. LAWLOR MOP WRINGER Patented Aug. 7, 1928.

UNITED STATES" PATENT OFFICE.

SIMEON C. LAWLOR, OF CHICAGO. ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO S. G. LAWLOR COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

M01? WRITNGER.

Application filed March 10, 1924. Serial No. 698,168.

This invention relates to improvements in mopping apparatus, and more particularly to wringing mechanism for mops.

An important object in view is the provision of means for affording variable pressure on a mop.

A further object is the locking of the wringer rolls at that spacing affording just the pressure desired for any given opertion of a mop.

Another object is the provision of means for stopping the relative movement of the wringer rolls at various points as required for providing variable pressure on the mop to be acted on without interfering with the locking action in. the spacing mechanism for the wringing rolls.

\Vith these and further objects in view as will in part hereinafter become apparent and in part be stated, the invention com.- prises certain. novel constructions, COlTll'lll'lZl tions and arrangements of parts as subsequently specified and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings,-

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of wringing apparatus embodying the features of the present invention, the crank being omitted for disclosing parts in its rear.

Figure 2 is a top plan View thereof, the crank being shown.

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on the plane indicated by line 3-3 of Figure 2, the parts, however, being in the position for spacing the wringing rolls differently from the-spacing of Figuresl and 2.

Figures 1 and 5 are fragmentary elevations of two modified embodiments of apparatus for varying the spacing and consequently the pressure between the wringing rolls.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 1 is a preferably rectangular frame adapted to be applied and aflixedin any appropriate manner to a tank or container-of mopping apparatus. The contour of frame 1 may be modified freely as required to adapt it to fit any particular receptacle or container.

Fixed to the side rails or frame 1 are side plates 2, each comprising a vertical web, having laterally outstanding ears 3, 3, bolted. or otherwise appropriately fixed to its re spective side bar of frame 1, and each vertical web having an inwardly-extending flange 4c and an outwardly-extending flange 5. Each flange 1, as best seen in Figure 3,

extends along the web of the respective side plate 2 slightly above the median line thereof, and then loops down below the location ofthe wringing rolls, when in wringing position, and up again on the other side. For purposes of convenience of reference, that direction toward the position of the operator when grasping the roller-shifting handle will be herein referred to as :l'orward and the opposite direction as rearward or their equivalents. The lower and forward portions of the loop of eachilange 11 borders the lower and forward portion of the front edges of its web, and the flange 5 borders the upper edge of the respective web throughout its length and various contours, as best seen in Figure 1. Each side plate 2 is formed with a rearwardly-opening, slightly arcuate notch 6, inclining forwardly, said notches being, in operation, adapted. to receive and guide the. projecting end portions or trunnions of the shaft 7 of the movable roll 8.

By movabie is meant that the roll 8 is.

shiftable bodily to and from. a position between those portions of plates 2 formed with slots 6, and to accomplish this movement the end portions of shaft 7, outside of plates 2, are engaged rotatively by links 9, each of which is preferably formed of flat strap metal and arched or bent intermediate its ends. Each link 9 extends forwardly from shaft- 7, and the front ends of links 9 pivotally engagethe arms of a bail or ll-shaped. operating lever 10, as indicated at 15, 15, the arms of the lever being pivoted at 11, 11 to upstanding brackets 12 fixed to frame 1. The crossbar of the U-shapcd lever 10 forms the operating handle 13. As best seen in Figure 2, the arms of lever 10 extend between links 9, so that the pivots 15 of links 9 may pass freely from a point above to a point below the plane of the axis of pivots 11. The arched form of links 9 enables the axis of pivots 15, at times, during a wringing operation, to lie below the plane of the upper surface of frame 1, as seen in Figure 1, notwithstanding the fact that part of links 9 must remain above the frame.

Atother times, during wringing operations, it is desirable tohave the pivots 15 higher than frame 1, as, for instance, with their axis just below thehorizontal plane of the axis of pivots 11. In either position, roller 8 is locked against retrograde movement by the relative positions of said pivots and connected parts; but, in the lower position of pivots 15, the roller 8 will not be as far advanced, and, therefore, not as'tightly in contact with its co-operating roller, hereinafter described, as when in the higher position of the pivots.

To assure the easy and quick location of the parts in either of these positions, by the operator without the exercise of special skill or care, means are provided for easily and quickly mechanically controlling such positioning. A variable detent is provided to interrupt the movement of the parts as required. Such detent may be located at different "points and assume various forms within the spirit and scope of this invention. In the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, a studor pin 16 projects laterallyfrom the inner face of each bracket 12, and a block or plate 17 is slidingly mounted to'odgewise engage the frame 1 adjacent each bracket 12. Each block 17 is longitudinally slotted, at 18, to receive the respective stud 16 which is headed at its free end to retain the block in place While allowing the same to slide freely for the length of slot 18. Each block 17 is proportioned and located for sliding from the position seen in Figure 3, where the operating lever 10 is heldelerated, in the closer or more firmly contacting position ofroller 8 with roller 20, to the position seen in Figure l, where the operating lever is allowed to assume the lowered position wherein roller 8 less firmly contacts with roller 20. To effect this detent action of blocks 17 on lever 10, each arm of lever 10 is'provided with an inwardly-laterally located plate 19, riveted or otherwise appro priately fixed to the respective arm of lever 10 and extending along the arm to a position partly overlying and edgewise contacting with the respective-block 17 when the parts are in the position seen in Figure 3, but too short to contact with said block when the block is slid to its rearmost position, as seen in Figure 1. An effective proportioning and arrangement are seen in the accompanying connected to the respective pivot 11, whereby each arm of'lever 10 is in effect bifurdrawings in which each plate 19 is riveted at its upper or forward end to the respective arm of lever 10, and at its opposite end is cat-ed, and one of the bifurcations serves to engage the respective detent'block'17. It is, of course, apparent that only one such block 17 needs to be employed, but the use of the two gives a balancing of the stresses and avoids torsional strains on any of the parts and also assures that the pressure at one end of roller 8 will be thesame as at the other.

(lo-operating with movable roller 8 is the roller 20 mounted ona shaft 21 whose ends project beyond roller 20 through forwardly and downwardly inclined slots 22 formed in plates 2, slightly askew with reference to the lines of notches 6 as seen in Figure 3. Each projected end portion of shaft 21 is journaled in a block or cross-head 23 slidingly mounted in a guiding bracket 24: fixed to frame 1 outside of the respective plate 2. and inclined, as seen in. Figure 1, to correspond with the inclination of slots 22. liach block 23 rests on a spring 25 interposed between the bloek and the lower closed end ol the respective bracket 24;, and a retaining rod 26 is fixed to each block 22} and extends axially through the respective spring 25 and through a guiding aperture 27 at the lower end of the respective bracket 2-}; whereby the roller 20 is constantly stressed by springs 25 to or toward the upper ends of slots 22, and is free to be moved back, downwardly against such stress of springs 25 to the lower limits of slots 22.

In operation, the handle 13 is grasped and moved upward and backward past the position seen in dotted lines in Figure 1. until roller 8 lies at the rear portion of plate 2. In moving to this position, the projecting end portions of shaft 7 roll along the upper surfaces of flanges 5 and the upper edges of plates 2, the flanges 5 increasing the width of the contacting surface and thus avoiding grooving or other undesirable wear on the shaft. Any appropri ate anti-friction means, not illustrated, may be employed to further protect the shaft 7. Outside of links 9, shaft 7 is provided with collars Q8, 28, riveted or otherwise appropriately fixed to the shaft to retain the parts in their given positions. One of the end portions of shaft 7 is extended beyond its collar 28 and is provided with a detachably fixed operating crank The rollers being open, that is, spaced apart by the positioning of roller 8 in its rearmost position, the operator places his mop down between the rollers into the receptacles to which frame 1 is ailixed, as by bolts, clamps or other securing means engaging apertures 30 in the end portions o l' frame 1. Flanges 4; effectively serve to center the mop and prevent any parts of it from spreading beyond the rollers or getting to a position around the end of either roller. The handle 13 is then swung forwardly for closing the rollers on the mop. It as dry a mop as is possible to obtain is desired, the blocks 17 are first slid to the position seen in Figure 3 before the closing of the wringing rolls. The lever 10 will then stop in the position seen in Figure 3, whereat roller 8 is in its most forward position, and, accordingly, presses roller 20 downward to the position seen in Figure 3. The mop is accommodated only by the further give or resiliency of springs 25. The operator then turns crank 29 for forcing the mop out between the rollers 8 and 20.

Sometimes it is desirable to leave some moisture in the mop. In that case, the

blocks 17 are slid rearwardly to the position seen in Figure 1, and lever 10 is then swung to the lower position. In passing the position seen in Figure 3, the roller 8 reaches its foremost position, and then, as the forward end of lever 10 is lowered, the are of the path of pivots approaches the vertical. plane of the axis of pivots 11, and roller 8 is proportionally moved back. As proportioned in the structure illustrated, the rollers 8 and do not actually cease con tact, but if portions of frame 1 were cut away or the parts otherwise formed so as to permit further lowering of the lever 10, the roller 8 would, actually move backward out of contact with roller 20. And, as shown, the backward movement of roller 8 enables the interposed mop to sufficiently readily depress roller 20 as to pass'betw een the rollers while retaining a portion of its moi ture as required. Operators sometimes find it practicable to merely pull the mop from between the rollers without rotating crank 29, and this is more easily accomplished when the parts are positioned as in Figure 1, than when positioned as seen in Figure 3. The rollers are, of course, opened, after each wringing operation, by movement of lever 10 to its rear position, and the parts are then ready for another wringing operation.

In Figure 4 is illustrated an embodiment of leverage apparatus for actuating the movable roller for variable pressure thereof, and, in this figure, 31 is a link corresponding in structure, function and connections (the roller not being seen) with either link 9, it being understood that there are two links 31 pivoted to a lever 32 functioning like lever 10 and having two arms connected by handle 33, corresponding to handle 13. Each arm of lever 32 is broadened to form a. segment toothed on its periphery toform a mutilat-ed gear or arcuate rack 34. Each gear 34 meshes with a corresponding gear 35 fixed to frame 36, corresponding to frame 1. In operation, handle 33 is swung from the raised position seen in full lines, whereat the rollers are open, to the dotted line position, whereat the rollers are closed in the less tight position, and any degree of tightness may be secured increasing from the dotted line position upward to the point of alinement of the axis of movement of lever 32 and the pivot of link 31. To retain the lever 32 in operative relation, a link 37 is pivoted to each arm of the lever and to the side of the respective gear 35.

In Figure 5 is illustrated a further embodiment carrying out the ideas of the structure of Figure 4 and varying therefrom only in that the fixed gear is a straight rack 38, so that the link 39, corresponding to link 37, must have its pivoted lower end mounted in a slot to allow compensating movement. The structure and operation being otherwise the same as Figure l, the operation will be readily understood. a

It is important to note that the structure seen in Figures 1 to 3 inclusive affords a lock for the movable roller when in either of its operating positions, so that the operator merely has to close the rollers and then give his entire attention to the actual wringing operation without necessity for any at tention to or thought of the retention of the rollers in wringing relation.

What is claimed is 1. In wringing apparatus, the combina tion, with a frame and a roller carried there by, of a rotatably mounted, bodily movable roller cooperating with the first-mentioned roller, a pivotally mounted operating lever, a link pivoted to said lever. and connected with the second mentioned roller to move the same bodily, said lever being mounted to swing sufliciently for moving the pivot of the link past a dead center line represented by a line intersecting the axis of pivoting of the lever and the axis of rotation of the bodily movable roller, and adjustable means for supporting said lever at various points fubstantially at and beyond said dead center 2. In wringing apparatus, the combina tion, with a frame and a roller carried thereby, of a rotatably mounted, bodily movable roller cooperating with the first mentioned roller, a pivotally mounted operating lever, a link pivoted to said lever and connected with the second-mentioned roller to move the same bodily, said lever being mounted to swing suificiently for moving the pivot of the link past a dead center line represented by a line intersecting the axis of pivoting of the lever and the axis of rotation of the bodily movable roller, and a block arranged in the path of movement of the link and movably connected to the frame for mov ing relative to the link to and from a position for supporting the lever substantially in the position of alinement of the link pivot with said dead center line.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

SIMEON C. LAWLOR. 

